Other formats

    Adobe Portable Document Format file (facsimile images)   TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

A compendium of official documents relative to native affairs in the South Island, Volume One.

No. 6. — Mr. B. Hawes to Mr. T. C. Harrington

No. 6.
Mr. B. Hawes to Mr. T. C. Harrington.

Downing Street, 30th November, 1848.

Sir,—

I am directed by Earl Grey to acknowledge your letter of the 11th inst., stating that the New Zealand Company had not succeeded in purchasing the interests of the Nanto-Bordelaise Company, and reviewing the present position of their claims.

I am desired to acquaint you, in answer, that Lord Grey is very sensible of the importance of the subject to which the Directors of the New Zealand Company have thus drawn attention, and that he concurs in the general tenor of their observations.

With reference to the pretensions which they have heard that some of the parties interested in the Nanto-Bordelaise Company would set up to tracts of land of vast extent, I am directed to acquaint you, for the information of the Directors, that the case having been examined by the Emigration Commissioners, in communication with a gentleman employed by the Nanto-Bordelaise Company, and fully empowered to act on their behalf, it was mutually agreed that 30,000 acres would be a liberal allowance of land to settle their claims, and that Lord Grey is satisfied that there could be no just reason to depart from that conclusion. All that remains to be done is to determine the particular tract to be assigned to this Company. Of this subject the Governor of New Zealand was reminded by a Despatch sent to him in August last, calling for a report of any steps which might have been taken; and I am now to acquaint you that your present letter will also be transmitted to Governor Grey, with authority to adopt measures for expediting the demarcation of the block of 30,000 acres which is to be allotted to the Nanto-Bordelaise Company.

In conclusion, I am desired to request that you will inform me whether the negotiations in which the New Zealand Company has been engaged have made them acquainted with the address of M. Mallières, the gentleman who acted for the Nanto-Bordelaise Company, in 1845; or if not, that you may be so good as to inform me who may have acted on their behalf in treating with the New Zealand Company.

I have, &c.,

B. Hawes.

T. C. Harrington, Esq.